THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

I’ve been sitting at my desk this morning thinking about what it really cost to be a disciple of Christ. Over the years I’ve seen many people put their toes into the stream of Christianity and never really fully immerse themselves.  Then, on the other hand – I see those accept Christ and who are willing to jump fully into the stream of discipleship and become everything that God intends for them to have.  The distinguishing factor:  One was willing to count the cost of being a Christian, and the other was willing to taste it but not stick with it when things got hard.

Notice what Jesus says in the following verses…

Luke 14:28-33 (ESV) ²⁸  For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? ²⁹  Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, ³⁰  saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ ³¹  Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? ³²  And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. ³³  So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV) ²⁴  Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ²⁶  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

What is a disciple?

Greek:

·         Used for soldiers who followed their leader

·         Used for slaves who followed their master

·         Used for someone who follows or obeys someone else’s advice

·         Used for someone who obeys the laws

Basically – A disciple is a learner but it will cost everything you have.

Jesus said in Matthew 13 that the Kingdom of God was like a merchant looking for fine pearls.  When this man found a pearl of great price, he sold everything he had to buy it.

When you and find Jesus – it is going to cost us everything.

Let’s imagine how it might have sounded when this man tried to buy that pearl of great price….

(The pearl is reflective of the most important thing in your life right now…  “I’ve got to have it.”

You go to the seller and  say… “I want this pearl.  How much is it?

“Well.. the seller says, “its very expensive.”

“But… how much?”

“Well…, a very large amount.”

“Do you think I could buy it?”

“Oh, of course. Everyone can buy it.”

“But didn’t you say that it was very expensive?”

“Yes.”

“Well… how much is it?”

“Everything you have,”  says the seller.

You think about it and tell the seller… “All right, I’ll buy it.”

He says to us… “Well, how much do you have?  Let’s write it down.

“Well… I have $10,000.00 in the bank”  (Just imagine you are rich).

“Good.  $10,000.00.  What else do you have?

“That’s all.  That’s all I have.”

“Nothing more?”

“Well… I have few dollars here in my pocket.”

“How much?”

You start digging.  “Well… let’s see - $16., $17., $18.”

“That’s fine.  What else do you have?”

“Well, nothing.  That’s all.”

“Where do you live?”  He’s still probing.

“In my house.  Yes… I have a house.”

“The house, too, then.”  He writes that down.

“You mean I have to live in my RV?”

“You have a RV?  That too.  What else?”

“Then I’ll have to sleep in my car!”

“You have a car?”

“Two of them.”

“Both become mine, both cars.  What else?”

“Well… you already have my money, my house, my RV and my cars.  What more do you want?”

“Are you alone in this world?”

“No… I have a wife and two children.”

“Oh, yes, your wife and children, too.  What else?”

“I have nothing left!  I am left alone now.”

Suddenly the seller exclaims, “Oh, I almost forgot!  You yourself, too!  Everything becomes mine – wife, children, house, money, cars – and you too.”

Then he goes on.  “Now listen… I will allow you to use all these things for the time being.  But don’t forget that they are mind, just as you are.  And whenever I need any of them, you must give them up, because now I am the owner.”

That’s how it is when you are under the ownership of Jesus Christ.

A young man once came up to Socrates and asked him if he could be his disciple.  Socrates said nothing and began to walk in the ocean. The young man kept following him and asking him if he could be his disciple. When Socrates got out to about his neck – he turned to the young man, grabbed his head and held him under the water for a long time. When he finally let the young man up for air – he was gasping for air. Socrates said… “When you want to be my disciple as bad as you want air then you be my disciple.”

Ask yourself the question today – Am I really a disciple of Christ or am I just a distant follower? Are you a Christian in name only or are you a fully developed follower of Christ?  Is Jesus Lord of every part of your life or are you a Sunday Christian?

May God help us all to go deeper with Him and to experience Him in the fullest way possible!